Session Review Notes
Period 1971[Oct] – 1972[Aug]
Artist:Four Seasons – Various Producers
Core Tapes to be researched P2060: 2082: 2093: 2105: 2113: 2134: 2205: 2206
Introduction: Early Mowest 1971/72 Session Four Seasons
Just when the various producers sessions occurred after the Four Seasons signed up to Motown in October 1971 is unclear from the Tape Index and the Artists Cards. Tape Nrs and completed Master Nrs do not necessarily run in sequence, but some dates do appear when Stereo Mixes were done from the 16 track Master Tapes that lead to possibilities that condense thinking about the style and sounds being developed. We can clearly see that the original 'Chameleon' sound was a definitive set of sessions that reside on P2110/11 and had an original and very distinctive sound for the time. There was no definitive 'hit' sound during early 1972 and probably Mowest execs were searching for a new LA sound. The country rock singer/songwriter scene was firmly established out of Laurel Canyon and the Eagles country rock style(eg Take It Easy) would emerge by mid 1972 as the Southern California sound. So at the end of 1971 producers at Mowest it appears were looking for a competing adult-contemporay 'blue-eyed' soul sound that would suit AM radio.
There are interesting notes and connections in the Artists Cards. Sometimes the Artists Cards are more a mystery than anything else. The first mystery is how 'Walk On Don't Look' back appears with 2 Master Nrs. ? It is the very first Master Nr (60516) which suggests it was their first recording at the label in November 1971 and that is the Master Number that appears on the 45 BUT this wasn't released until 8/72. It doesn't really appear to be their first recording there either and it is not listed in the 15 tracks listed in Feb 1972 in the TCB fanzine as recorded in the early sessions. It is therefore included below as 'unreleased' re the Artists Card Number. It should be noted that master number 60516 was also used for The Blackberries track "But I Love You More". My understanding is that The Blackberries single MW5020 was a non-issue and the two tracks "Somebody Up There" and "But I Love You More" remained unreleased until The Complete Motown Singles 12A was issued more recently and MW5020 was specially pressed as the 7" fronting that set.
Why in mid 72 this was preferred to 'The Night' for August 1972 release remains a mystery. For such a strong single on an album to be missed by Mo-West in the USA is amazing. A test promo pressing was produced and we have scans of this. Although released in the UK in Oct 72 [MW3002] lack of promotion in the UK when the Mowest label launched is also a mystery? [It would become a featured track at Mr M's, Wigan Casino Room [and across the Northern Soul scene during 1973 and 74] which would force it's re release and chart entry in 1975(Chart Nr 6 UK)] And if considered a stronger track, why wasn't this alternative 45 'Walk On Don't Look Back' heavily promoted in the USA in Aug 72 and the UK in March1973? What we have heard shows that all of these completed Masters are well worthy of release as they were at the time. moWest simply didn’t have a clue.!
Unreleased Tracks
Track Title: My Heart Cries Out To You [found and for release Summer 2020]
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: Larson - Marcellino
Motown Master: 60692
First Location Tape: P2060
Second Location: P2082
Additional locations:T2043/T2134/T3984
Notes
Just the second title on the Motown Tape Index the only detail we had on this in the past comes from former Four Seasons International Fan Club President, Steve Bailey(thanks to John Hornsby research). What we can now see from research of the Artists Cards is that the still unreleased song ‘My Heart Cries Out To You’(Tapes P2060/P2082) was co-produced by Marcellino and Larson as a potential single. Steve Bailey the USA fan club President managed to get into the sessions that finished the song. He wrote on a newsletter at the time....” Frankie had already done lead vocal and musical tracks were finished. Joe(Long) and Demitri (Callas) with Mel Larsen did background tracks and then Frankie did some doubling and back- grounds. It is a fantastic song. Maybe the new single. I sure hope so." The track was copied to two 16 track tapes and at least one Stereo Mix was done. It was the second listed Motown Master by the group at 60692 so probably recorded in November 1971. Essential listening for Four Seasons fans? Well hearing this find now ‘approved’ for release it is obvious it should have been the first single and heavily promoted as it is a classic in the Four Seasons ‘harmony style’ mid-tempo and falsetto laced song - it is simply superb.
Track Title: Girl, Don't Take Your Love From Me
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: Willie Hutch
Motown Master: 60749
First Location Tape: P2105
Second Location: T2199
Additional locations:T2200/P6414
Notes
If confirmation were needed that Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons started recording as soon as they joined Motown then this shows it . It also shows us songs they recorded first before being released by others months later whilst this remains left in the vault. The Tape Box to Tape P2105 shows” 2 versions: 1 Assigned to Four Seasons - 2 Vocals / Another to Michael Jackson - 2 Vocals”.
“Girl, Don't Take You're Love From Me' (Master Nr 60749) which we've heard by Michael Jackson was recorded by the Four Seasons in early November 1971(dub cut 20th November and again 20th December). One of only 2 Willie Hutch productions on them (‘Thank You' being the other).....surely there must be more as yet unresearched?.
A Stereo Mix was copied very late clearly after their departure from the label to Tape P 6414 which suggest post 1975. Songs like this add to the mystery of why MoWest didn't release more in 1972, but when you hear that before The Commodores moved to the main Motown label they had a whole album 'vaulted' at Mowest which remains unreleased to this day, you realise Motown Universal today are way behind the times and have little or no retrospective music release schedule. Perhaps they wrongly assess this period as unworthy of re-visiting or too expensive [legal and production cost] to prepare for release
Track Title: Wigs And Lashes
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60756
First Location Tape: P2113
Second Locations: T2350
Additional location:P7675
Notes
'Wigs and Lashes' we now know was a laid-back mid tempo song written by Larry Mizzel of The Corporation, [tasked to find a new sound for the group] and the Artists Card for Master Nr 60756 was one of a handful they tried with the group. Mixed on 14th Feb 1972 and copied to 2 T tapes it has never appeared by the group although The Miracles versions on their 1973 'Rennaisance' album gives us an indication of how the song may have been handled by Frankie and the Seasons. There appear to be at least 6 mixes done at the time of the Master recording but one note indicates a copy to P7675 which would have been a 1980s tape after the copying of tracks to the Superstars album (P7245) in 1981.
The Master Nr 60756 only precedes 'When The Morning Comes' by 2 numbers and suggests a November 1971 recording session
Track Title: Time Will Tell
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60757
First Location Tape: P2113
Second Locations: T2083
Notes
Another find of a listed track in the Motown Tape Index I'd never heard......but one I have become obsessed with now thanks to Music Detective Mike 'Doo-Wop' Daddy who sent it to me. I've shared this version with you all on You Tube[Mowestchameleon]. The version that was released was by Second Nature on Bell Records in 1973....as a Bob Crewe Production. This groups vocals are not the best and it would be interesting to hear the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons version which was being considered for 45 release in Jan 1971[ according to newsletter notes by Stu Miller]. It is Master Nr 60757 which puts it 2 after 'Poor Fool' and 1 after 'Wigs and Lashes' . The next Master Nr 60758 was 'When The Morning Comes'. Although co-written by Bob Crewe with Louis St Louis it was produced by The Corporation TM.
Track Title: Walk On Don't Look Back [Alternative Master?]
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60960
First Location Tape: P2205
Second Locations: T2735
Additional location: T3010/T3012
Notes
A look at the Tape box for P2113 may reveal more about the Corporation sessions including when 'Walk On Don't Look Back' was actually recorded. There are two designated Master Nrs for this which is the only track in the index where this occurs. An alternative Master was shown on the 45 and this is the only ever occurrence of this anomally on all their Motown Index. Master Nr 60516-7B doesn't appear on a separate Artists Card. This 60960 card indicates a 'dub cut' in May 1972 post the early Seasons sessions and post the Bob Gaudio 'Chameleon' sessions. Subsequent copies to T tapes including 2 by Russ Terrana which align with the 28th August release on Mo-West 5026F. Why a Master Nr 60516-7B appears on the 45 rather than 60960 remains a mystery. However the 'released' version HAS appeared on CD on the 2008 Anthology. The Artist Card shows the Stereo Master was copied on 22nd May and again on 7th August with 10 'takes' in total copied. Other version/takes are worthy of research.
Track Title: After I'm Gone
Artist: Four Seasons [possibly Frankie Valli]
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60961
First Location Tape: P2206
Second Location Tape: T2381
Notes
Although we have a Master Nr and a Production Tape locations for two 16 track versions nothing is known re this song except that we have an Artists Card that show it was recorded with The Corporation which dates it as amongst the early 1972 Four Seasons sessions. The fact that it was copied suggests it was completed but only tape research would reveal more. No other tracks are known from this tape but it may contain much more as it precedes the tape which contains 'Walk On Don't Look Back' which is assessed as being recorded in May 1972.The Master number follows this song and precedes 'Coming Home' and so is obviously from the same sessions
Track Title: Coming Home
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60962
First Location Tape: Not known but possibly P2205 or P2206
Notes
No Artists Card has surfaced for this song nor any mention in the Tape Index BUT an internal report from Motown Universal shows it as a 'completed' Master Nr. The song was subsequently recorded by Michael Jackson and surfaced on a compilation. It appears on You Tube and was produced by The Corporation too. Writing credits are to Berry Gordy-Deke Richards-Freddie Perrin-Alphonso Mizell [The Corporation]. It's Master Nr follows 'Walk On Don't Look Back' Nr 60960 and 'After I'm Gone' Nr 60961 suggesting P2206 as a possible location
Track Title: Live It Up
Artist: Four Seasons
Producer: The Corporation
Motown Master: 60997
First Location Tape: Not known but possibly P2205 or P2206 or P2225
Notes
This song was written and recorded by Jermaine Jackson and released in June 1972. The song appears on You Tube and is a perfect vehicle for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. A completed Master Nr 60997 indicates it should exist by them. But no clues exist as to which Tape it could reside on but probably the same as the other Corporation productions..
March 2022
Ken Charmer – Music Historian
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